Top Stories:
- Sharing email – how not to do it
- HP gets Compaq-ted
- Nokia’s shocking news becomes boring
Sharing e-mail – how not to do it
I know the declaration that "WAP is crap" was trendy for a while among jaded IT pundits but when so-called secure WAP emails are sent to the wrong recipients, what else are people to think?
The gaping security hole which affected Telecom’s WAP email service djuice allowed some users to read messages sent to other people.
Djuice is a mobile internet portal owned by Telenor Norway which provides WAP and text messaging technology to telecomms service providers around the world. In New Zealand djuice users connect through Telecom’s CDMA network.
It seems that information sent during a WAP session remained on the network port it was sent through for 60 seconds after the user had logged off. If another user logged onto the same port within that brief period, they could see any messages that were still hanging around from previous emailers.
Telecom closed down the service last Friday and is still running tests. Spokeswoman Linda Sanders said the Telenor platform wasn’t stable, so Telecom was using its own in-house back up when the problems occurred. She said djuice has about 6000 email users and Telecom received three or four complaints. She pointed out that Xtra’s WAP email service wasn’t affected. But it’s not a good look for WAP technology. The story on TV referred to Telecom’s WAP service in general. The message that may well stick in the mind of the punters is that WAP is insecure (regardless of who is supplying it or how) – fullstop.
Telecom works on WAP glitch – NZ Herald
- HP gets Compaq-ted
Hewlett-Packard New Zealand is rejecting suggestions that Compaq is taking most of the top jobs in the merged company in the South Pacific region because Compaq is bigger. However, so far we have Compaq NZ boss Russell Hewitt as the new top dog and former HP New Zealand head Barry Hastings under him as general manager of the personal systems and imaging and printing groups. Computerworld is also aware of another Compaq-er taking the reins in a major division of the company.
Meanwhile, Compaq Australia managing director Paul Brandling has landed the big office for the merged Australian company and Compaq regional chief Paul Chan will head the merged company in the Asia-Pacific region.
Other job announcements are likely after the legal close of the merger on May 7. In New Zealand Compaq has 380 staff and HP has 170.
HP appointment ‘best person for the job’ - Computerworld
Compaq head takes top job in merger – NZ Herald
- Nokia’s shocking news becomes boring
I know one shouldn’t be blase when told about potential death traps in one's home but these Nokia warnings are starting to get tedious. Maybe we should just all get rid of our Nokia DSL modems. After all, this is the third letter that I and other JetStream users have received warning that unplugging the modem could be a shocking experience. I even had a technician come round four months ago to check. If the problem is so chronic wouldn’t it be better to just replace them all?
Nokia recalls modems due to shock possibility - Computerworld
Nokia modems to tested for potential - Computerworld
Nokia issues safety notice on modems